Seven expatriate workers in Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL), were yesterday kidnapped and held hostage by staff of the company who were protesting management failure to abide by the agreement it entered with the workers last Tuesday.
The expatriates, said to be Indians, were kidnapped at the Fougerole life camp II, along with children of the Deputy National President of Iron and Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN), Comrade Salihu Otori and Mr Mercel Onuoha, Head of Security, who were alleged to be collaborating with the company�s management.
In a 10-point agreement entered with the workers on October 2, 2007 and signed by the Managing Director, Mr. K.K. Rao, Dr. M.K. Aiyewa (GM Management Services) and Y.G. Hande (Head, Human Resources) on behalf of management, the company had among other things agreed to pay 15 per cent increament and arrears from January 2007, along with September salary, as well as all outstanding incentives such as Target Money and Non-Accident Bonus.
Other agreements reached were remittance of the Contributory Pension Scheme to Pension Administrators, regularisation of all workers due for regularisation and payment of deductions made as a result of workers compliance in respect of the 48 hours a week (six working days) and its total abolition.
Mea nwhile, management has made an urgent appeal for the release of those held, and described the action as wrong signals from the negotiation that ended in Abuja yesterday. It was gathered that the violence, which Mr Sunil Manwati, President, Business Development, Global Steel Holdings Ltd., who led management team to the negotiation, said caused some damage to the company�s property, was occasioned by a rumour that the firm�s management had reneged on some of the terms of the agreement.
This necessitated further consideration of aspects of the agreement already reached by Monday night, leading to the stretching of the discussions to almost midday yesterday.